This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. Lean burn engines provide improved fuel efficiency by operating with an excess of oxygen, that is, a quantity of oxygen that is greater than the amount necessary for complete combustion of the available fuel. Such engines are said to run “lean” or on a “lean mixture.” However, this improved or increase in fuel economy, as opposed to non-lean burn combustion, is offset by undesired pollution emissions, specifically in the form of oxides of nitrogen (NOx).
One method used to reduce NOx emissions from lean burn internal combustion engines is known as selective catalytic reduction (SCR). SCR, when used, for example, to reduce NOx emissions from a diesel engine, involves injecting an atomized reagent into the exhaust stream of the engine in relation to one or more selected engine operational parameters, such as exhaust gas temperature, engine rpm or engine load as measured by engine fuel flow, turbo boost pressure or exhaust NOx mass flow. The reagent/exhaust gas mixture is passed through a reactor containing a catalyst, such as, for example, activated carbon, or metals, such as platinum, vanadium or tungsten, which are capable of reducing the NOx concentration in the presence of the reagent.
An aqueous urea solution is known to be an effective reagent in SCR systems for diesel engines. However, use of such an aqueous urea solution involves many disadvantages. Urea is highly corrosive and may adversely affect mechanical components of the SCR system, such as the injectors used to inject the urea mixture into the exhaust gas stream. Urea also may solidify upon prolonged exposure to high temperatures, such as temperatures encountered in diesel exhaust systems. Solidified urea will accumulate in the narrow passageways and exit orifice openings typically found in injectors. Solidified urea may also cause fouling of moving parts of the injector and clog any openings or urea flow passageways, thereby rendering the injector unusable.
Some reagent injection systems are configured to include a pump, a supply line and a return line such that aqueous urea is continuously pumped to minimize solidification and also transfer heat from the injector to the aqueous urea stored at a remote location. These injectors are typically equipped with an inlet coupled to the supply line and a spaced apart outlet coupled to the return line where both the inlet and the outlet are positioned on an opposite side of an electromagnet as the injector orifice. While injectors configured in this manner have functioned sufficiently in the past, concerns may arise regarding the pumped fluid interrupting the magnetic circuit and decreasing the efficiency of the solenoid. An increased current, coil diameter, wire diameter and/or number of coil turns may be required to account for the inefficient circuit.
Other concerns may arise regarding previously provided injectors regarding cost, complexity and leakage of the fluid to be pumped either through the injection orifice or some other joint between injector components. Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide an improved reagent injector addressing some or all of these concerns.